Farm & Ranch
A Horse of Many Colors: How Domestication Changed the Horse
By contributing writer Martin Aldridge
The sheer variety of coats equines exhibit is simply astonishing. Everything from the common sorrels and bays, the gaudy paints and appaloosas, to the lesser known perlinos and cremellos, all have been achieved through breeding various types of horses with each other. Breeding for certain colors and patterns is now common
practice, but where exactly did all this diversity come from? Animals evolving in a natural state have been known to display a huge variety of colors and patterns, but colors and patterns in the wild evolve for specific survival purposes.
A recent study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences looking at fossil horse DNA from specimens found in Europe and Asia revealed 18
brown colored animals, six black and six with a mutation for spotting.
As it turns out, the very act of domesticating wild animals might have a lot to do with the diversity we see today. The ancestral breed or breeds from which domesticated
horses sprang has become extinct. Wild herds today, like mustangs and other horse and pony populations living in a wild state, are technically considered “feral” since they all developed from domesticated stock.
To read more pick up the March 2014 issue of North Texas Farm & Ranch.
Noble Research Institute’s inaugural two-day training event, Essentials of Regenerative Ranching, brought together farmers and ranchers who are eager to improve the health of their land, livestock, and livelihood.
This first delivery of the course, conducted July 11-12, 2023, at Tarleton State University in Stephenville, Texas, provided producers with an immersive experience that combined facilitator-led classroom learning with hands-on activities in the field, as well as ample opportunities for ranchers to connect and problem-solve with their peers.
For more, pick up a copy of the September issue of NTFR magazine. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.
By Dani Blackburn, [email protected]
There might be no greater way to impact the world than through the agricultural industry. How we grow our food, what we eat, and our future all depend on those farmers, ranchers, and professionals working tirelessly to ensure the industry is at its best.
The determination of many countless individuals can lead to significant progress within agriculture. One person who has spent decades making a difference via agricultural education while encouraging a balance of integration and practicality is Dr. Ron Gill, Texas A&M professor and Extension livestock specialist and associate department head for Extension.
To read more, pick up a copy of the September issue of NTFR magazine. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.
By Rayford Pullen, [email protected]
I really hate to mention this, but there are about 75 days until we expect the first freeze here in North Texas, which occurs around November 15. I mention this because if we are going to make any pasture changes, like overseed or disc for winter pasture production, the time is near.
Temperatures normally begin falling the last week or so of this month while at the same time, day length gets progressively shorter. If we want fall and winter grazing, we need to have these crops up and growing as quickly as possible while the rowing conditions are still good.
For more, pick up a copy of the September issue of NTFR magazine. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.
-
Country Lifestyles7 months agoScott & Stacey Schumacher: A Growth Mindset
-
HOME7 years agoGrazing North Texas – Wilman Lovegrass
-
Country Lifestyles4 years agoAmber Crawford, Breakaway Roper
-
Country Lifestyles7 years agoStyle Your Profile – What your style cowboy hat says about you and new trends in 2017
-
Country Lifestyles7 years agoCowboy Culture with Clay Reid – Being a Man
-
Country Lifestyles7 years agoJune 2016 Profile – The man behind the mic: Bob Tallman
-
Country Lifestyles7 years agoDecember 2016 Profile, Rusty Riddle – The Riddle Way
-
Country Lifestyles3 years agoCody Lambert